An error correction code (ECC) refers to an encoding (channel encoding) method for incorporating enough redundant information into a data block to be transmitted such that a receiver can deduce what characters to be transmitted are. The error correction code is essential in digital communication, and has been applied even to the inside of hardware for data storage and transmission.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for describing a concept of an error occurring in a memory and an error correction processing circuit for correcting and processing the error.
As in FIG. 1, input data pass a write circuit in order to be written in a memory cell within a channel, and output data are read out from the memory cell via a readout circuit. In this case, an error may occur in the memory including the write circuit, the readout circuit and the memory cell. In order to correct the error, a circuit, to which the error correction code is applied, may be connected.
Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2009-0091179 (Title of Invention: ECC Protection Apparatus, Method and System Having Small Data Structure) describes an error correction code engine that supports an error correction operation for data structures in different sizes.
Meanwhile, in recent, many studies have been conducted with regard to low power hardware. In this case, a method of lowering an operation voltage of hardware may be the most effective.
However, there is a problem in that probability of occurrence of an error increases as in FIG. 2 as the operation voltage of the memory is lowered. FIG. 2 is a graph showing error probability varying depending on an operation voltage of a memory. That is, when an operation voltage of hardware is reduced, power consumption can be reduced, but probability of occurrence of an error at the vicinity of the memory increases, and thereby, deteriorating whole output quality.